Pakistan to build world’s largest solar power plant

• 9 years ago (2015-04-24)
• Junior Isles

Asia 851 Renewables 753

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Pakistan has awarded a $1.5 billion contract for what is claimed to be the largest solar power plant in the world. When finished the plant, to be built in Bahawalpur by Chinese company Zonergy Company Ltd, will have a power generating capacity of 900 MW.

Zonergy has worked in Pakistan for 17 years and has links to the telecommunications company ZTE, which shares a key shareholder.

President of Zonergy, Yu Yong, said his company was in Pakistan to address concerns about its national grid's conversion system. He also said his company had a total portfolio of 1200 MW of solar power plants in China, the largest consisting of 170 MW in Xinjiang.

Najeed Sadiq, a Zonergy director, said the first 50 MW unit would be brought into production on August 14 this year, to be followed by another 250 MW on December 25, and then 100 MW would be added every month until the end of next year.

Sadiq also said the China Exim Bank and China Development Bank had provided funds for the project.

Around 1.271 billion kWh of electricity is expected to be generated annually from the solar power station, which would cover a total area of 4500 acres.